Biafra: South-East Governors Deny Waging War Against Federal Govt

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Friday, September 8th, 2017

Photo: Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi state, David Nweze Umahi

From Ignatius Okpara

EBONYI, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The South East Governors’ Forum, has denied media report that the body recently met behind closed door in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital and accused the Federal Government of killing members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and frustrating other issues affecting the zone.

Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Ebonyi state, David Nweze Umahi made the denial Thursday in Abakaliki, while reacting to a report credited to one Nwankpa Osita Okere who alleged that the body met in Abakaliki, and accused FG of brutality on Ndigbo.

Umahi in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, CPS Emmanuel Uzor, described the report as tissues of lies from the pit of hell.

According to him, the report was craftily done to embarrass the Forum and cause confusion between the Governors of the zone and FG as part of efforts to thwart peace process with the IPOB.

The statement accused the authors of the falsehood of trying to sabotage the peace process already in motion between the forum and leadership of the IPOB especially as it concerns the rebuilding process and the way forward to achieving lasting peace in the zone.

It read thus: “The attention of the forum has been drawn to a report circulating in various social media platforms, alleging that the South East Governors met behind closed doors at the Government House Abakaliki where they reached a consensus and accused the federal government of killing members of IPOB.

“While it is our responsibility to protect the lives and property of our people including the IPOB, it is rather embarrassing to link the forum to whatever politics of bitterness in any part of the country.”

“Firstly, the writer and his paymasters failed to meet up with the realities on ground as concerns the already initiated move between the governors’ forum and leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu reached during our last meeting in our secretariat in Enugu.

“It is therefore, the wish of the forum to assure the general public that the communiqué raised during our last meeting with IPOB leadership still stands and anybody circulating any report contrary is the real enemy of Ndigbo and should be disregarded.”

The statement further hinted that there was no such meeting as reported, adding that the Chairman of the forum, Governor Umahi whom he quoted as issuing the statement was not even in the country as he was outside the country on investment drive for the development of his state.

Umahi, stated that the Forum was working in synergy with the FG and other Federating units towards economic and regional integration as well as development of the South East region calling on members of the public to disregard every attempt by amorphous groups to instigate crisis between the zone and the President Muhammadu Buhari led-administration.